26 January 2016
A new review concludes that a supplementation of alkaline potassium salts may help preserve bone health by lowering the excretion of calcium and acid.
The meta-analysis included the data of 14 studies investigating the potential relationship between intakes of alkaline potassium salts and bone health (1). The data analysis showed that increased intakes of potassium salts reduced the participants’ bone resorption – the process whereby bone minerals are broken down and released into the blood – therefore increasing their strength. In addition, high intakes of potassium salts significantly reduced the excretion of calcium and acid in urine.
The researchers commented that excess acid in the body, produced as a result of a typical Western diet high in animal and cereal protein, causes bones to weaken and fracture. The observation that potassium reduced acid excretion may mean that excess acid was neutralized by the mineral and bone mineral was preserved. Thus, potassium salts could prevent osteoporosis. The data on potential effects of potassium on bone formation and bone mineral density (BMD) and what this means for fracture risk were limited and less conclusive.
11 March 2011
An international group of leading researchers in the growing field of carotenoids met at Tufts University, Boston, USA, for an information-packed, two-day conference.
20 December 2018
NUTRI-FACTS spoke with Peter Van Dael, Ph.D., senior vice president of nutrition science and advocacy at DSM Nutritional Products, to gain insight about what the future holds for nutrition research in 2019.
31 October 2016
Obesity rates have nearly doubled since the early 80s and much has been speculated about the possible reasons for this rapid increase.
